Australia's top military brass are being called on to provide the latest information on the number of suicides in the Defence Force at a Senate inquiry on Monday.

The inquiry, which has been running since April, is examining the mental health of Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel who have returned from combat, peacekeeping or other deployment.

Tasmanian Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, who established the inquiry, said he would ask the ADF commander, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, to provide up-to-date data on the number of suicides occurring in the armed services.

"Defence often quote a study that was done in 2010 that shows these mental health problems are no different amongst Defence Force personnel and vets than they are in the wider community, but we've heard very, very different evidence from a number of experts," he said.

"We're definitely getting mixed messages between what the Government is providing in terms of their data on the extent and significance of mental ill health and post-traumatic stress disorder amongst returned service personnel."

Veterans 'living rough', senator told

The Senator said he established the inquiry after hearing from veterans' groups about growing mental health problems in their community.

"Groups, especially younger veterans' groups, were telling us that the Government wasn't doing enough," he said.

"A number of veterans were living rough on the street, there was a much higher rate of suicide amongst veterans and, of course, there were issues around substance abuse."

The inquiry is focussing on post-traumatic stress disorder, mental health policies, counselling and housing services as well as record-keeping for mental ill-health hospitalisations and deaths.

Also appearing on Monday will be the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, the Chief of the the Air Force, the Chief of the Army and the Head of the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

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